Cindy had her surgery on October 6th as planned and she had her
preoperative checkup on October 5th. My Step mom was to meet
me at the train entrance to the Children's Hospital and Medical Center in Seattle on October 5th. Little did we know that the train entrance was closed for renovation.In our room at the kids bowling for kids village the night before surgery
The receptionist at the heart center was kind enough to page my step-mom. I don't think we would have ever found each other in that huge and confusing building otherwise.
Cindy had a chest x-ray at the heart center and I was pleasantly surprised to find that they did not have a pig-o-stat. Cindy also had an EKG and a blood draw. They almost decided not to do Cindy's surgery because she had just gotten over a cold but in the end and much to my relief they decided to go ahead with the surgery.
Cindy and I checked into the Kids Bowling For Kids Village and spent the night there. I think I got a whole two hours sleep. I tossed and turned all night worrying about the big day ahead.
On the day of the surgery Cindy and I waited outside the children's heart center while my parents waited outside the day surgery center.
The heart patient ICU at Seattle Children's Hospital
My parents were waiting in the right place. One of the residents went searching for Cindy and I. While everyone else was worrying about the surgery Cindy decided to take a nap in the middle of the hall. She used a barney doll for a pillow. She was fast asleep when the resident found us.
Cindy was given a sedative and after she fell asleep she was taken to the surgery room. We were told the surgery would last 6 hours. The surgery only lasted 3 hours and it went very well. Cindy's surgeon is Dr Lupinetti.
Cindy in the ICU just minutes after her surgery
The hospital staff gave me a pager and sent me a page when Cindy was put on bypass and when she was taken off bypass. The pager was a very nice touch.
During the surgery they removed Cindy's pulmonary artery band and reconstructed her pulmonary artery where the band had been. The used a piece of her pericardium to patch up her pulmonary artery.
Cindy went to the ICU after her surgery as all heart surgery patients do. She was covered with wires and tubes just like last time but this time she looked so much better. This time she weighed 27 pounds, last time she only weighed 8 pounds. This time she was in good health going into the surgery, last time she was in critical condition going into the surgery.
Cindy had the entire 6 bed heart ICU all to herself, it was nice. Cindy came of the ventilator the same day as her surgery. She recovered very fast.
Cindy looking much better just 12 hours after her surgery
She had her surgery on a Tuesday and was out of the ICU by Wednesday night!
Cindy really enjoyed the hospital play room. My step mom used her entire vacation to help with Cindy and was an invaluable help. Cindy and her step grandma spent lots of time in the play room.
We were told that Cindy would go home on Friday but on Thursday night she spiked a temperature so they held Cindy until Saturday morning. They wanted to make sure she did not have an infection.
Can you believe she had major surgery 48 hours ago?
Our experience at Seattle Children's Hospital and Medical Center was great. The nurses and radiologists were so patient with Cindy. The play room volunteers were wonderful. We are so lucky to live close to some of the best medical care in the world.
It will probably be many years before Cindy requires further surgery so I may quit keeping month to month journals of Cindy's progress but I will continue to own and run the CHD webring
If Cindy ever needs another surgery it will be to repair her aortic valve. Her aortic valve only has two cusps instead of the usual three. Only time will tell if her aortic valve will continue to function well. Dr. Lupinetti told us her valve may need to be repaired in about ten years.
